Lff review: Flock
As the horror season approaches this October, the usual gaggle of horror films find their way into our viewing habits. Psycho, The Exorcist, The Conjuring, the list goes on. But more and more independent and short filmmakers have used the horror genre to experiment with story, form and visuals in an effective way.
At the London Film Festival this year, a collection of young directors, screenwriters and producers has produced a series of new shorts under the BFI-branded ‘Pulling the Rug Out’.
One that stood out was Flock, a black and white film set against the Welsh countryside in the world of farming. Focusing on the community backlash when the sheep population mysteriously disappears, this is an atmospheric, beautifully shot and tense film, lovingly crafted by director Mac Nixon and his crew.
Balancing authenticity and surreality through its use of the Welsh language with gruesome special effects, there is something disturbing and frightening in its portrayal of herd (no pun intended) mentality, when the townsfolk turn on a lone shepherd (effectively played by local actor Kenton Lloyd Morgan) as his flock is remarkably untouched by the strange event. He gains some sympathy from one of the younger farmhands, but the shepherd is haunted by strange, nightmarish imagery.
There’s societal commentary here, particularly how hearsay can destroy the very fabric of a community. There’s a critique of capitalism thrown in for good measure, with the shepherd who cares for his flock, whereas the townsfolk view them purely for monetary purposes.
There’s disturbing imagery filled with gory special effects and dream sequences that perfectly conjure up the feeling of a nightmare. For those film gore enthusiasts who are turned off by the black and white, the filmmakers have luckily thought ahead with some gruesome red flickering throughout its 20-minute runtime. And the special effects and visuals would make David Lynch proud, truly reminiscent of both Eraserhead and the last season of Twin Peaks.
Evoking filmmakers like Robert Eggers, Ingmar Bergman, and even James Whale’s 1931 classic Frankenstein(the ending in particular feels right out of a Universal horror film), director Mac Nixon is an original voice in filmmaking that should gain further recognition.
